Book Discussion: The First Fossil Hunters by Dr. Adrienne Mayor
Thu Dec 01 2016
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
FREE
The Power Plant
The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times by Adrienne Mayor, 2011.
Yto Barrada's exhibition Faux Guide deals in part,with the trade in fossils—both real and fake—from Morocco. But did you know fossils were known in the ancient Mediterranean? Dr. Adrienne Mayor— folklorist, researcher and Stanford University professor—published The First Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times in 2011. Her research indicates that the ancient Greeks and Romans encountered fossils of primeval beings and expressed their understanding of their origins in stories of Centaurs, Cyclopes and other mythological monsters. Like their modern counterparts, they measured and displayed fossils in temples and museums, attempting to reconstruct the skeletons of these prehistoric creatures and sought to explain their extinction.
Read a copy of this book, then attend a lively discussion facilitated by Josh Heuman, Curator of Education & Public Programs at The Power Plant.
Questions? Call 416.973.4949 or email info@thepowerplant.org for more information.